They have educated some of the world's finest minds, from US presidents to leading mathematicians and scientists.

And now, young people in Suffolk could join the Ivy League of American universities - thanks to an Ipswich school's bid give them a ticket to the likes of Harvard and Princeton, with an innovative new scholarship programme.

For many students, the main target is to join one of the leading Russell Group universities of top 24 higher education institutions in the UK - which include Oxford and Cambridge.

But Copleston High School and Sixth Form, in Ipswich, has set its horizons even further - by encouraging teenagers to continue their post-18 education across the pond.

Headteacher Andy Green and director of sixth form, David Leach, recently visited Newham Collegiate Sixth Form to learn more about the east London school's Ivy League scholarship programme from its head, Mohssin Ismail.

Despite serving some of the poorest communities in the country, a high percentage of its students go to leading universities - and it has also helped five students win places at leading US universities.

Copleston has already helped around 16 students win places at top US colleges and now hopes to extend its programme.

Mr Green said: “We are hugely grateful to Mohssin for hosting us and allowing us to study his extremely successful model.

“Firstly, we are planning to create our own Ivy League scholarship programme to help a student from Ipswich attend a top US university like Harvard or Princeton.

“At GCSE, our school is among the top performing in the East of England. We have headteachers from across the country looking at the work we do.

“It is right therefore, at sixth form, that we should be looking at what the top performing centres are doing.”

Mr Ismail added: “I am tremendously impressed with the vision Andrew and David have for Copleston High School and Sixth Form.

“I have no doubt this exciting new vision well vastly improve the post-16 provision for the young people of Ipswich

“Talking to them, it is clear we share the same passion for improving the lives and life chances of young people in our respective communities.

“They absolutely understand that you firstly must be hugely ambitious for your students, background or circumstances should not be a boundary to success.

"I wish them the very best of luck.”

Copleston High School and Sixth Form is also holding an open day on Wednesday, September 29 from 6.30pm to 9pm.